Road Trip Back to The Wild West

By Joeann Fossland

Road trips beckon, not just as a means to a destination, but as a casually-paced journey. After 50 years of road tripping, having a place to bed down on fresh clean sheets and proximity to good food and interesting surroundings is more my style than camping in the wilderness. Revitalized historic hotels along the trip are my way of appreciating the past, while enjoying all the comforts of the 21st century.

Getting To Las Vegas

Have you been to Las Vegas? No, I’m not referring to the casinofilled city in Nevada. I’m referring to the original Las Vegas in east New Mexico.

It’s an awesome short road trip from Albuquerque. Heading north on I-25, you can stop along the way for some site seeing in Santa Fe. Then get back on I-25 for another hour or so to Las Vegas.

Or, if you’re coming from the north, Las Vegas is about 4.5 hours south of Denver. Alternatively, you can arrive by daily train.

The Wild West

In the late 1800s, when the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroads opened up the southwest to adventurous travelers, a savvy businessman named Fred Harvey, realized the need for hotels, not just food stops along the way. After a long ride, a chance to hop off and be indulged was tempting. And, so it was Harvey began to build memorable stops to pamper the tired railroad pioneers.

In 1898, his first hotel, La Castañeda, was designed by Pasadena architect Fred Roehrig in a C-shape with a courtyard facing the tracks welcoming visitors off the trains into bustling Las Vegas, New Mexico.

La Castañeda, The “Queen of Las Vegas”

A collaborative group headed by Allen Affledt and his artist wife Tina Mion have put life back into La Castañeda after 72 years of sitting vacant. Using local craftsmen, a simple, old-fashioned, quality restoration is reclaiming the hotel’s original spirit and grandeur.

Still in the restoration process, La Castañeda, is open with 16 refurbished rooms, all lovingly appointed with antique furniture. Each room is named for one of the legendary Harvey House Hotels and is being themed with a unique transom, hand-painted by Tina.

Harvey’s vision for fresh, quality dining has been embraced at Bar Castañeda and at the soon-to-beopened restaurant, Kin at Castañeda. Chef Sean Sinclair and his wife Katey are using locally sourced meats and produce to bring fine dining and creativity to Las Vegas. They have already

Photos (L-R): La Castaneda Bar; La Castaneda Antiques, La Castaneda lobby

garnered a 2020 Local Heroes award from Edible New Mexico magazine.

Currently, dining on the outside patios provides safe eating with maximum ambience. It’s easy to imagine you are in a time warp that has transported you from a cross country trip into the lap of luxury.

Historic Plaza Hotel—The Belle of the Southwest

In town, across from the square, the historic Plaza Hotel, opened in 1882, has also been beautifully restored — all part of the plans in revitalizing this historic city. Byron T’s Saloon offers a good selection of New Mexican beers and wine. Perhaps you’ll even encounter the resident ghost, Byron T, who is said to frequent the hotel, especially in room 310!

The gift shop is filled with Southwestern treasures. Decadent pastries from their coffee shop will tempt you to sit at an outdoor table and people watch as you enjoy your food and drink.

Eat, Drink, Shop, and Hot Spring It

Plan to spend a couple of days in this charming, historic town to fully appreciate all that it has to offer. The original town square, in front of the Plaza Hotel, was the location of a famous meeting of Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders in 1899. Bands often play in the gazebo while folks relax on the green lawn under tall trees.

Las Vegas teems with history, boasting over 900 buildings in the National Register of Historic Places. Around the square and down the side streets, shops and restaurants provide plenty of variety for shopping and eating.

Do you like HOT food? Authentic New Mexican restaurants will serve their tasty green chiles on practically everything, as you imbibe on their specialty margaritas or mescal.

Antique, craft, and gift shops are filled with things you didn’t even know you needed, and won’t find If you like to camp, fish or hike, there are plenty of opportunities within an hour of town.

Montezuma Hot Springs are located six miles northwest of Las Vegas with three public, rustic hot springs pools. Like the local food, the springs are hot—with the highest pool temperature at 122 degrees. Wear your bathing suit and bring a towel, but be aware that the area has no facilities.

Las VegasAt the time of this writing, New Mexico hotels are operating at up to 75 percent capacity and restaurants at 25 percent capacity due to the pandemic. I recommend calling ahead to confirm availability.

Photos (Clockwise from bottom left): Montezuma Hot Springs; New Mexican Lunch Las Vegas; Plaza Gift Shop; Las Vegas Street Art; Plaza Hotel lobby; Plaza Hotel. Las Vegas New Mexico